Bellicosa

Since I've taken over the family grocery detail, I've become more familiar with which products carry the parve/kosher symbols and which either don't distinguish or simply aren't considered kosher at all. However, I've only seen one or two dairy distributors that place kosher symbols on their products, and whether it be just my past indifference or present dismay at lugging a shopping cart through a packed shopping center, I'm just not sure if all milk is alright to buy, or if I should really be keeping a closer watch on which milk brands wind up in my fridge.

My boss left last week on a cruise to Mexico, and she texted me only once since she got there, which was right before the news stations started really pushing the swine flu story. I'm concerned for her, but also myself; if she comes back and seems alright, does it mean she didn't contract it, or does it take longer sometimes for symptoms to express themselves? She's going to be getting back on Friday, and she'll be back in the office on Saturday for a few hours. There's no way for me to avoid close contact with her, too, because our office is very small.

Any thoughts?

All the major news networks are making a very big deal about this newest outbreak of swine flu, but I seem to recall this sort of low-grade panic a few years ago when we were concerned about SARS, MRSA, avian flu...

You get the idea.

Do you think this illness will really become 'pandemic' like the WHO is claiming it might?

I've noticed that people shy away from naming sexual organs, even when engaged in the most lewd of conversations. Why are people so hesitant to use words like 'penis' and 'vagina'? Using contrived names for them is just aggravatingly stupid, so why the immaturity?

He's the Westboro Baptist Church leader, and he's coming to my town tomorrow.

Should I be excited or upset? How would you feel, and why?

Do you think baby boys should be circumcised or left intact? Why do you feel that way? And should girls be circumcised, too?

I've been with my boyfriend for almost a year now, and we've started to talk about moving in together and getting married. I'm already done with school, and he's only a few months away, and we're bother very much in love.

However, a few weeks ago we were messing around, and shortly thereafter I missed my period. After using a couple of home pregnancy tests, I learned I was pregnant, and I immediately decided to abort.

Should I tell him anyway? There's nothing he can say to change my mind at this point, and I'm concerned it will strain our relationship. My opinion is that he'd be better off just never knowing, but I'm looking for second opinions.

Many people this time of year wish me "Merry Christmas," but I never return the sentiment. As a Jew, I obviously don't celebrate Christmas, but I'm curious: How should I respond to people? Most of the time I'll correct them or say "Happy Holidays," but I'm not sure which would be best.

About two months ago, I started going out with a friend-of-a-friend. He's really sweet and we're very compatible, but he's begun to get weird in the last few weeks. Most notably, his ex-girlfriend is in town this week, and he's adamant that I meet her. I told him I was uncomfortable with it and he said I was over-reacting, and that it was important for the two of us to meet because "she's been such a big part of my life."

He also said that the last girlfriend he had before me didn't want to meet her and that "I should have known then how crazy she was."

Am I over-reacting? And should I really go through with seeing his ex with him?

What are the lyrics, and what is the name of the song, from the opening of the game 'Katamari Damacy'?

I crack my neck at least three times a day; it helps relieve tension and soreness, and it kind of relaxes me.

My stepmum, an LPN, tells me that she knows of a boy who died from cracking his neck too forcefully, and constantly tells me to cut it out.

So is that true? And how bad really is cracking your neck?

I know that the Internet uses a very structured means of showing where individual sites are based and maintained. The TLD's make it easier to name sites, true, but do people in other countries search using the '.com' option, or do they naturally specify without thinking about it?

Do English people always search '.co.uk'? Do Austrians always use '.co.at'? Do the Japanese only use '.co.jp'? Or do they just blast in '.com' like silly, impatient Americans and hope for the best?

I'm a 53-year-old diabetic with an unhealing foot wound that makes it hard for me to walk. My doctor told me the best way to increase my quality of living is to get an amputation, but from what I've seen from my foot wound, I'm concerned the stump won't heal properly and I'll be back where I started.

Has anyone had an amputation, preferably a diabetic, or know someone who has? I need to know if this is actually a good idea.

I've got a few songs from Biffy Clyro (great band there) that happen to be ripped from the radio, and in the tracks, the radio call letters are mentioned.

Unlike in America where we use 'K' and 'W' plus a bunch of scrambled letters, the UK seems to have stations called Radio 1 and Radio 2.

Can someone explain what these are, how many other stations there are, and what the difference is between the two?

After 7 years of horrible luck and bad politics, what would George have to do to save himself from political and historical condemnation?

Is he beyond salvation, or do you still support him?

Do you think there is a difference between racism and racialism, and do you believe in either one?

I just got back from a preview showing of American Gangster, and more than ten times during the film, pieces of sound equipment drop into the frame!

It gets to the point where it's literally distracting.

Does anyone know if there are plans to pull the film before it releases Friday, or if the director did this on purpose? Is it some sort of artistic thing?

I really don't see anything artistic in dangling the boom mic in-frame above Denzel Washington's head, but it's not my movie.

By the way, it was great. ;)

In all seriousness and with no disrespect to Mormons at all, wasn't the name of the angel who appeared to Joseph Smith named Moroni?

So shouldn't they be called Morons, not Mormons? Why is this not the case, apart from the fact that it would be very embarrassing to say you were a Moronist and subscribed to Moronism?

(Though that may be a fair statement for some people...)

Lise Montgomery was just found guilty of kidnapping leading to death in the case of Bobbie Jo Stinnett, the woman she killed and then proceeded to cut open and steal her unborn child.

This is not the only case of this happening in history, of course. I just don't understand what compels women to do it. Why would you kill another woman and take her fetus? I realize it's some sort of psychological issue, but I don't know what it could be.

What do you get when you cross an owl with a bungee cord?